The Chess Saga of Fridrik Ólafsson

by Frederic Friedel
9/7/2021 – Fridrik Ólafsson may be the strongest chess player of the 20th century about whom until now no book existed, in any major language. It feels great to present this first book outside of Iceland about the chess career of their first and most prominent grandmaster. It is full of important narrative and wonderfully annotated games, which highlight his personal attacking style, which he used to beat the likes of Keres, Tal, Petrosian, Fischer, Korchnoi and Karpov.

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During  25  years  from  about  1955  to  1980  Fridrik Ólafsson was  one  of the world’s ten to fifty best players, in spite of coming from a remote  island nation, and  in  spite  of  giving  priority  also  to  his studies,  his  job,  his  family. 

Ólafsson became a national hero at home in Iceland and later President of the World Chess Federation, FIDE. This book, written by Øystein Brekke and Fridrik Ólafsson himself, follows Fridrik's career with 114 games plus four game endings, most of them played against leading grandmasters, from the legendary Savielly Tartakower in 1954 to David Navara in 2013.

The core of this book are 50 games which Fridrik presented and annotated for his Icelandic games collection back in 1976. Among his defeated opponents in this book are World Champions Petrosian, Tal, Fischer and Karpov, and lots of the world's other strongest players. Jan Timman wrote: "With his unorthodox and enterprising style he posed a threat to all top players, including the Soviet elite."

At long last Fridrik Ólafsson's chess career, with commentaries to many of his best and instructive attacking games, is available in English. The book has a foreword by the President of Iceland, Gudni Th. Jóhannesson. It includes with special contributions from Gudmundur G. Thórarinsson,  Gunnar Finnlaugsson, Tiger Hillarp Persson, Axel Smith, Ian Rogers, Yasser Seirawan, Jan Timman, Margeir Pétursson and Jóhann Hjartarson.

Fridrik Ólafsson was born 1935 in Reykjavik where he still lives. Nordic Champion in 1953, at 18. Won his first grandmaster tournament at Hastings 1955/56, shared with Korchnoi and ahead of Taimanov. A World Championship candidate 1958-59. President of FIDE 1978-82. Besides his great chess career, he is a lawyer, and was for 21 years Secretary General of the Icelandic parliament, Althingi. It can be purchased in the New in Chess shop for €35.95.

Øystein Brekke was born in 1956 and is a Norwegian chess player, organizer, arbiter, trainer, historian, author and publisher. He wrote in Norwegian language both elementary books and books on chess history.

Sample chapter: Favourable Fates

In the Interzonal Tournament in Portorož I could not have chosen a better start, scoring a win against Szabo in the first round, draws against Pachman, Matanovic, and Filip in the next three followed by wins against Cardoso and Gligoric in the 5th and 6th rounds. The score against Gligoric, true enough, was marked by luck – having the inferior position and under heavy time pressure I laid a trap for him which he fell into – but in tournaments it is the wins that count, not how they are obtained. The position after 6 rounds was therefore promising –  with 4,5 points, I shared 1st-2nd places – when I fell into a bad habit of losing to the “lesser prophets” in the tournament, perhaps through setting my sights too high.

My losses to Neikirch in the 7th and Rossetto in the 9th rounds had the consequence that I had to exert all my energy against “the stronger ones” in which I was successful beyond hope. In the 11th round I defeated the child prodigy, Bobby Fischer, and in rounds 13 and 14 Averbakh and Larsen met with the same fate. These successes in this part of the tournament put me on my feet again and I managed to steer my course to the end. True enough, I almost ruined everything by my loss against Sherwin in the next to last round, but the Fates smiled upon me, and my win against de Greiff in the final round “floated” me into the Candidates’ Tournament. This game was drawish at one time, but on its outcome depended whether I would “get in” or would have to compete for the 6th place along with 5 others. I did not like too much the idea of having to take part in a competition of that kind, and near the end of the game I managed to get the better of my opponent, whereupon the gleam of hope in ten expectant eyes was extinguished.

Here follows my game against Fischer which is one of the most eventful ones that I have ever played. The sacrifice of the exchange in the opening is more based on feeling than exact calculation; the evolution of the game, however, shows this to be fully justified. The many weak points created in the black position proved too much for Fischer, and he never managed to organize his defence. The end is interesting.

 
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1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.d4 Bb4 The so called Ragozin Variation. White can now, if he wishes, develop the game along the lines of the Nimzo­Indian Defence by 5.e3, see my game against Sosonko at Wijk aan Zee 1976. 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 After this Black can counterattack by 7.. .g5 8.Bg3 Ne4, the basic line of play in this variation. Fischer treats this differently. 7.Bxf6 has always been considered a sounder move, see my game against Petrosian in the Candidates' Tournament 1959. 7...c5 8.e3 Nc6 The game Petrosian versus Matanovic in the same tournament continued 8...0-0 9.dxc5 Nbd7 10.Be2 Qa5 11.0-0 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Qxc5 13.Rc1 and White’s position was freer after managing to play c3­-c4. 9.Rc1 In recent years the continuation 9.dxc5 has come into vogue as can be seen, for example, in games this year (1976) from the Hastings and Wijk aan Zee tournaments. c4 Fischer’s move is perhaps a little premature. Taimanov considers 9...g5 10.Bg3 Qa5 a better possibility with the continuation 11.Nd2 Be6 12.dxc5 12.Bd3 comes strongly into consideration. 12...d4 13.exd4 0-0-0 This position is from the game Blechzin-­Ussow, Leningrad 1961, and Black’s active position makes up for the difference in material. 10.Be2 Probably 10.Nd2 is a slightly more precise move for now Fischer could have played g5 11.Bg3 Ne4 trying to create pressure on the queen’s side. 10...Be6 11.0-0 0-0 12.Nd2
In order to get a better hold of e4 and prepare for the advance of the king’s side pawns. 12...Be7 13.b3! White takes the bold decision to sacrifice the exchange in order to scatter Black’s pawns and induce him to weaken his king’s side. Clearly 13...cxb3 gives White a comfortable position so Fischer prefers to accept the sacrifice. It may also have occurred to him that this was simply an oversight on behalf of his opponent. g5 Fischer must play this at once if he wants to gain the exchange. In the tournament book it is maintained that 13...Ba3 would have been preferable which can hardly be the case and is poorly supported by the annotations given there. After for example 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Rb1 Black can only win the exchange at the cost of two pawns (15...Bf5 16.Nxd5 etc.) and cxb3 The same applies to 15...Bb4 16.Qc1 Bxc3 17.Qxc3 b5 18.bxc4 bxc4 19.Rb5 etc. 16.Qxb3 Bb4 17.a3 gives White a lasting initiative. 14.Bg3 Ba3 15.Rc2 Not 15.Rb1 because of Qa5 and White will have problems with his Nc3. 15...Nb4 Black has achieved his aim, and now it is White’s turn to show how he can justify his sacrifice of the exchange. 16.bxc4 Nxc2 17.Qxc2 dxc4 After this move White succeeds in weakening Black’s king’s side still further, and Fischer has either overlooked or underestimated this. A realistic evaluation of the position indicates that 17...Bd6 would have been a safer continuation, nevertheless White has great attacking chances after 18.Bxd6 Qxd6 19.f4 etc. 18.Nb5 Bb4 19.Nc7 Bxd2 20.Nxe6 Of course not 20.Nxa8 because of Ba5 nor was it ever White’s intention to go for the rook. 20...fxe6
21.Bxc4! Fischer probably did not pay enough attention to this move which sharply reveals his king’s side weaknesses. Even stronger was immediately 21.Qg6+ Kh8 22.Qxh6+ Nh7 23.Be5+ Rf6 24.Bxc4 Qf8 25.Qh3 21...Qe8 21...Bb4 is not possible because of 22.Qg6+ Kh8 23.Qxh6+ Nh7 24.Be5+ Rf6 25.Bd3 and Black is lost. In the game 21...Qe7 was a much better defence. 22.Qxd2 Ne4 The elimination of one of White’s bishops must at least be a comfort for Black. White has now only a pawn for the exchange; his strategically promising position more than compensates for this. The only reasonable solution to Black’s problems, as far as it can be of any avail, is to bring about the exchange of queens, and this is Black’s aim with the text. 23.Qd3 Nxg3 24.hxg3 Rf6 Black’s weak spot e6 is his greatest problem, and it is against this weakness that White concentrates his attack over the next moves. 25.Qe4 Rc8 26.Bb3 This bishop is no doubt equal to any rook! Qd7 27.Rd1 Now threatening 28.d5. Re8 28.f4 Also threatening 29.f5. Qh7 See note to Black's 22nd move. 29.Qe5 Qf5 Black now manages to exchange queens, but he must pay dearly for it. 30.g4! The engines show however that only 30.Qxf5! Rxf5 31.e4! was the correct and clear winning continuation. 30...Qxe5 31.dxe5 Rf7 32.f5 Rc7 Not 32...exf5 because of 33.Rd7 and wins But 32...Kf8! 33.Bxe6 Rxe6! 34.fxe6 Rc7 was Black's first good chance in Fridrik's time trouble. leaving White with only a minor advantage. 33.Rd6 33.Bxe6+? would be utterly mistaken because White's tripled pawns on the e-file would not be likely to achieve anything. 33...Rc5 34.Bxe6+ Kf8
35.Bb3 Here 35.Bd5 Rxe5 36.e4 comes into strong consideration, with decisive superiority. 35...Rcxe5 36.Rxh6 Rxe3 37.Rg6
White must be very careful. 37.f6 for example, threatening Rh8 mate, would not have done here because of Rxb3 drawing. 37...R8e4 Fischer had the good drawing chance 37...Rxb3! 38.axb3 Re3! 39.Rxg5 Rxb3 when the engines agree that White is not able to utilize his small plus. 38.Rxg5 Rg3 This loses. The only hope was 38...Rf4! but after 39.Kh2! a5 followed by g3 White still has winning chances. 39.Rg8+ Ke7 40.g5 Re2 41.Bd5 Kd6 42.Bf3 Rxa2 43.f6 Ke6 44.Re8+ Fischer preferred to resign rather than wait for the mate after 44.Re8+ Kf7 45.Bh5#
1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Olafsson,F-Fischer,R-1–01958D38Interzonal-0411
Fischer,R-Olafsson,F-1–01961B35Bled 30th Anniversary4

Fridrik Ólafsson plays Bobby Fischer in the 4th round of the international tournament at Bled, Yugoslavia, 8th September 1961. This game, included in the replay above, Fridrik lost.

Perhaps the craziest game

In 2007 Fridrik joined his first individual international tournament abroad in 24 years, when he accepted an invitation to the “Euwe Stimulans” tournament in Arnhem. Events with a connection to Max Euwe were given some priority, after Fridrik had good relations with the ex-world champion from his years at the FIDE office in Amsterdam.

Fridrik’s game against the talented young Dutch player Vincent Rothuis was something special in this tournament. Vincent Rothuis was 17, and got the International Master title that year. He left tournament chess only a few years later. In these days, when this book is published, Rothuis shows his talent in internet chess. He is one of the stars at bullet chess, and one of the very few who reached a 3100 rating in this discipline.

From the very beginning it is a strange and romantic game between a 17 year old IM, rating 2441, and a 72 year old GM, rating 2452. Likely the “craziest” game of the tournament.

 
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1.e4 g6 2.h4 h6 3.f4?! Already a new move, instead of the more "common" options 3.d4 or 3.Nc3! Fridrik joins the fun: Nf6!? 4.e5 Nh5 5.f5?! The young Dutchman tries to create something sensational with only pawn moves. After 5.Qf3 play is quite even, with not so much going on.
5...d6!? 5...Ng3! was perhaps too materialistic for this game, but it was a good option. After 6.fxg6 Nxh1 7.gxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qf3+ Kg8 9.g3 Nc6 10.Qxh1 d5 Black is clearly better. 6.e6?! fxe6! 7.fxg6 Ng3 8.Rh3 Nxf1 9.Qf3 Kd7!
10.Qf7 (?) White wins a piece, but at the high price of opening the g-file for Black against his own king. Better was 10.Qxf1 Bg7 11.h5 10...Nc6 11.g7 Bxg7 12.Qxg7 Rg8 13.Qc3 Rxg2 14.Kxf1 Qg8 15.Ne2 Rg4 16.d3 b6 17.Bxh6 Bb7 18.Nd2
18...Nd4! Finally this move, which is winning. Black has only one pawn for the piece, but watch that difference between the king’s positions. 19.Ne4 Nxe2 20.Kxe2 Bxe4 (?) his gives White a last chance. Black wins with either 20...Rxe4+ 21.dxe4 Qg2+ 22.Kd1 Qf1+ or 20...Rg2+ 21.Ke3 Qg4 22.Rf3 Qxh4 21.dxe4 Rxe4+ (?) 22.Kd3? White’s saving resource was 22.Kf2 Qg4 23.Qf3 when Black does not seem to have anything better than Rf8 24.Bxf8 Rf4 25.Rah1 Rf5 26.Bh6 Qe4 27.Be3 Qxc2+ 28.Kg1 Rxf3 with a likely draw. 22...Qg2 23.Qd2
It does not help much to play 23.Re3 Rxh4 24.Qb3 Rxh6 25.Rae1 e5 23...Qxh3+! 24.Kxe4 d5+ 25.Kf4 Or 25.Ke5 Qf5+ 26.Kd4 Qe4+ 27.Kc3 Qc4# 25...Qxh4+ 26.Ke5 White does not last long with 26.Kf3 Rg8 either. 26...Qf6#
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Rothuis,V-Oafsson,F-2007B06Euwe Simulans Arnhem (7)11

By the way, Rothuis was born in 1990, 103 years later than Tartakower, whom Fridrik defeated in 1954!

About the author

Øystein Brekke (born 1956) established his personal company Norsk Sjakkforlag in 1988, on the occasion of the publication of the book "Grandmaster Chess in Gausdal" about the tournament Gausdal Jubilee Arnold Cup 1982.

For over 40 years he gained a broader experience than most from chess life, as a player, instructor, coach, leader, organizer, referee, journalist and author. Among other things:

  • Author of 20 chess books, including the textbooks "Play chess" 1 and 2
  • Editor of Norsk Sjakkblad 1975-79, 1981, 1986, 2000, 2001
  • Secretary General of the Norwegian Chess Federation and the Norwegian Chess Federation's Youth 1982-88
  • Norway's permanent representative in the World Chess Federation FIDE 1980-89

Øystein has beaten over three grandmasters in tournaments and in 1997 had a FIDE rating of 2225. He shared second place in the National Championships in lightning chess 1986, behind the winner Simen Agdestein. He was twice Norwegian team champion in postal chess. Apart from chess, he is the father of five, and lives at Åmot in Modum. 

Øystein first met Fridrik Olafsson at the Nice Olympiad 1974. The book with him is his first in English.

 


Editor-in-Chief emeritus of the ChessBase News page. Studied Philosophy and Linguistics at the University of Hamburg and Oxford, graduating with a thesis on speech act theory and moral language. He started a university career but switched to science journalism, producing documentaries for German TV. In 1986 he co-founded ChessBase.

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